POETRY

We Would Never Be Apart
—POEM by Võ Thị Như Mai
(Translated from Vietnamese)

Tonight do you hear the wind singing?

A passionate song hidden in our heart,

We think of each other, a fond memory,

Side by side in the garden of love.

When spring arrives, we walk along the street,

Admiring sunrays dancing among the canopies,

Kissing my lips softly while holding my hands, you said,

We would never be apart, otherwise the town becomes mad.

Love is the beautiful flowers of life,

Blooming right in the moment of surprise,

I have found the meaning of love,

Let me carefully write down to make a perfect poem.

I’m in love with the scent of morning orchids,

Birds swinging from branch to branch,

I’m in love with the bud of our love about to bloom,

A spring branch start to flower at the foothill.

It was just a short time that we happened to meet,

Weaving into the eternal moment of life,

In the future when we turn into a grain of sand,

We entwine in the mist of this vast land.

….

(Self-translation from VIETNAMESE)

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Võ Thị Như Mai

Võ Thị Như Mai — A Cultural Bridge for Vietnamese Language and Heritage in Australia — with a deep passion for the Vietnamese language and culture, is not only a dedicated educator but also a vital cultural ambassador helping to preserve and promote Vietnamese heritage in Australia. Based in Western Australia, she teaches in a local government school for more than 20 years while actively translating and publishing significant works that bring Vietnamese literature closer to an international readership.

For over two decades, Võ Thị Như Mai has inspired generations of young Vietnamese-Australians with her commitment to language education and cultural identity. Her contributions were recently recognized by the Vietnamese Consulate in Australia, which awarded her a certificate of excellence for her outstanding efforts in preserving and promoting Vietnamese language and culture.

Beyond her achievements in teaching and translation, Võ Thị Như Mai is also a passionate writer. Her creative works reflect genuine emotions and serve as a bridge between two cultures. Her poetry and prose offer sensitive insights into Vietnamese life and identity, connecting with readers across cultural borders.

Võ Thị Như Mai is also the founder and editor of The Rhythm of Vietnam (https://vietnampoetry.wordpress.com/), a bilingual website that has been running for over 15 years. Through this platform, she not only shares her own writings but also promotes the voices of other Vietnamese and Vietnamese-Australian writers, creating meaningful connections across communities. Her tireless work makes her a guiding force in sustaining the rhythm of Vietnamese language and culture abroad.

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